Hedo Turkoglu does about face, heading to Toronto
For those of you keeping track, free-agent forward Hedo Turkoglu has reached an agreement on a five-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors have to wait until July 8th to announce the deal, but ESPN is reporting that the deal is worth $53 million and Turkoglu will likely earn $10.1 million next season. Dime Magazine writes the deal is "worth around $56-$60 million."
Apparently, the real reason Turkoglu has accepted an offer from Toronto is due to his wife's influence since Toronto has a larger Turkish population and is viewed as more of a cosmopolitan and international city than Portland.
The Blazers still have $9 million in salary-cap space, per ESPN, to try to negotiate with someone else. Although forwards Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza swapped homes (Los Angeles for Houston), one player that Chris Sheriden mentions is Shawn Marion.
Marion was offered a four-year deal worth $30 million from Toronto, but he shot it down, according to a source to ESPN.
Or, perhaps the Blazers will pursue Knicks forward David Lee.
Last year, Turkoglu averaged 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.
The Raptors have to wait until July 8th to announce the deal, but ESPN is reporting that the deal is worth $53 million and Turkoglu will likely earn $10.1 million next season. Dime Magazine writes the deal is "worth around $56-$60 million."
Apparently, the real reason Turkoglu has accepted an offer from Toronto is due to his wife's influence since Toronto has a larger Turkish population and is viewed as more of a cosmopolitan and international city than Portland.
The Blazers still have $9 million in salary-cap space, per ESPN, to try to negotiate with someone else. Although forwards Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza swapped homes (Los Angeles for Houston), one player that Chris Sheriden mentions is Shawn Marion.
Marion was offered a four-year deal worth $30 million from Toronto, but he shot it down, according to a source to ESPN.
Or, perhaps the Blazers will pursue Knicks forward David Lee.
Last year, Turkoglu averaged 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.
